Dear Future Roommates,

With the beginning of July comes the beginning of the end, as summer starts to wind down and we enter the final countdown until schools picks up again in August. However, as we look to the fall, anxiously planning our apartment theme and color schemes, I have a few things I'd like to say.

First of all, I still can't believe you are living with me. A year ago, we all walked on to campus confused and scared. Somehow though, within that one year I managed become best friends with all of you, and then somehow convinced you to live with me. Crazy, right?

I can't imagine living under the same roof next year with anyone else. I know I can count on you guys to keep me on my toes. Whether it's encouraging me to finish an essay early, forcing me to actually wake up for all of my classes, or helping me rally every Friday night, even when I've insisted for the hundredth time that "I'm staying in this time," I know you three will always have my back.

I'm going to apologize ahead of time for buying too much from ModCloth, The Container Store, Bed Bath & Beyond, and so many more for our new apartment because I cannot resist a good deal. Yes, buying a futon the size of a full bed was probably not necessary, and no, we most likely will not need another set of measuring cups, but how can you expect me to resist when the futon is $20 and the measuring cups are in the shape of kittens?

Now comes the hard part: cleaning. Look, no one likes it. Cleaning takes a lot of energy and time which could be used for more important things like watching Netflix and power napping. But if we all do a little at a time, the mess at the end will be exponentially smaller, and hopefully whoever is on dishes or trash duty will resent the rest of us that much less if we all pitch in during the week.

Living with other people can sometimes be difficult. As much as I love all of you, I know that no roommate situation is perfect and that realistically we are going to argue occasionally. I vow to always try and work through whatever obstacles we come across together--even if it's stupid. I hope that instead of breaking our friendships, our arguments only work to build them up stronger than before. After all, we're roommates second, friends first.

And at the end of the day, all I can say is thank you. Thank you in advance for always being there to lend a shoulder to cry (or sleep) on, for trusting me with your favorite mini skirt every Friday night, and for being the first people I see in the morning and the last before I pass out at night for 9 months straight. With all the hardships we'll face and the memories we will make, I know a friendship like ours will never grow old.